Tips to Read More Books in 2023 with the Goodreads Reading Challenge!

The only issue is that the goodreads algorithm assumes that if you read a book you liked it. There has to be a way to only send out suggestions related to books you gave at least four stars. Stop suggesting that just because I read a book. I liked it. If I give a book 3 or less stars I didn’t like it enough to read, suggestions related to that book.

I do ask myself the question: Why? Reading can bring you a lot but why do we need to read so much. You can read slowly and be happy with that. Needless to say I am warm of competition in any form.

For the past 8 years, I've read over 100 books a year, so it'll be my goal again this year. I typically read 2-3 books at a time, one in audiobook format, so that I can switch throughout the week depending on my mood. I listen to audiobooks whenever I can, plus I always have a physical book with me wherever I go. I've already prioritized my TBR shelves. I have a priority-TBR, Want-to-Read, Future-TBR, and a Maybe shelf.

Joshua wrote: "The only issue is that the goodreads algorithm assumes that if you read a book you liked it. There has to be a way to only send out suggestions related to books you gave at least four stars. Stop s..."

I couldn't agree more. It's very frustrating!

In terms of library books, I would super recommend getting Libby. You can add multiple library cards and move them over to your Kindle, which is super great.

it’s ok to have personal goals but i think pressuring yourself to stick to these challenges takes the fun out of reading. it’s better to read 8 books in a year which you properly took time to digest than read 100 which you breezed through. it feels very shallow but i guess a byproduct of social media culture which is often quite performative.

Joshua wrote: "The only issue is that the goodreads algorithm assumes that if you read a book you liked it. There has to be a way to only send out suggestions related to books you gave at least four stars. Stop s..."

If you create different shelves for your books you can decide which ones your recommendations are based on! I have shelves for each 1-5 star rating and turned off recommendations for my 1-3 star shelves so now I only get recommendations based on my 4 & 5 star shelves which is really nice!

Reading multiple books at once is a great idea, especially if there of multiple different genres

Jo wrote: "Joshua wrote: "The only issue is that the goodreads algorithm assumes that if you read a book you liked it. There has to be a way to only send out suggestions related to books you gave at least fou..."
I find quite hilarious the recommendations made by Goodreads i.e. "Because you read X you will like **a book that has nothing on earth to do with anything like the book you just read**.. and then I find that it was suggested because some other reader read both books. sheesh! And, I enjoy reading the bad reviews of books i loved too.

Joshua wrote: "The only issue is that the goodreads algorithm assumes that if you read a book you liked it. There has to be a way to only send out suggestions related to books you gave at least four stars. Stop s..."

Very true!

Dont know what all the fuss is about, I enjoy reading the recommendations even if they have nothing to do with my original book.

The "book" is a nearly meaningless unit of reading volume, given that books range from mere pamphlets up to 1000+ page door-stoppers and beyond. And two books of the same length can differ drastically in difficulty. For example, fiction seems to be more popular than nonfiction, because fiction is usually easier to read. Children's books tend to be easier than books written for adults, which are in turn easier than books written by philosophers, followed by software license agreements. For the Goodreads Reading Challenge to mean something, by which I mean allowing one to compare one's reading to someone else's, books should have a difficulty rating.

But given that they don't, there is no penalty for ambition when picking a number of books to read. If December rolls around and you still have lots of mountain left to climb, take advantage of Goodreads' nonexistent standards and pad your total with children's books from your emergency reserve.

Daniel wrote: "The "book" is a nearly meaningless unit of reading volume, given that books range from mere pamphlets up to 1000+ page door-stoppers and beyond. And two books of the same length can differ drastica..."

Not sure the point of the goodreads challenge is to read more than other people and for them to be more difficult than the ones others read. Just use it as a personal motivation to enjoy the habit of reading when you can. If you are short of the target maybe it was unrealistic or things happened in your life that made reading take a back seat.

It would be nice if GR made it clear what genre book it is or like they do in the articles ' you'll like this book if you like' that way I won't have so many books on my TBR.

Read what you, when you want, as often as you want. Don’t let anyone make you feel bad about reading. Reading is what I do when I am not working and it has been and continues to be a very important part of my life. In 2021 I read 681 books. My darling husband of almost 40 years became ill and then died on 1 June 2021 and reading is what helped me through the early stages of my heartbreak. Last year, 2022 was a very hard year, and I read 1069 books while continuing to work full time as it is only when I am reading that my mind is not constantly thinking of my heartbreak. So far this year, I have read 55 books - so I may or may not reach last years total, although my actual commitment is to read a book a day.

I try for 20 books in a year. Right now I have 14 books on my currently reading shelf. Bookmarks are essential!

put books down that aren't working for you. hard to learn but an important tip!

Cheryl wrote: "Read what you, when you want, as often as you want. Don’t let anyone make you feel bad about reading. Reading is what I do when I am not working and it has been and continues to be a very important..."

I too lost my husband after 42 years and I understand why reading helps. It puts your mind in another place and I think that is good. I know the loss diminishes a little but never goes away. Best wishes.

I generally read 5 books at a time, all in different locations: bedroom, office, living room, car (audio) and my phone for waiting rooms and waiting in line. One guaranteed way to up your books read is read shorter or easier books. I don't do that, Two books I'm reading now are nearly 700 pages each and definitely not easy reads.

Basically reading should be fun, an indulgence, an escape. Setting a goal should be used as an encouragement. The danger here is that it may take the enjoyment out of the simple pleasure of settling in with a good book. Sooo… be realistic about your goal and turn off the TV and computer.

Joshua wrote: "The only issue is that the goodreads algorithm assumes that if you read a book you liked it. There has to be a way to only send out suggestions related to books you gave at least four stars. Stop s..."

Be more generous with lower ratings

I found out I could log my comics and manga on goodreads so I doubled my goal from 50 to 100. I also usually read 2-3 books at a time so I can switch between them based on my mood.

Shout out to all of my audio book readers!

And let's not forget audio books! I get free audio books from the library and prefer those to most anything else I can get on the radio. They are also much more pleasant to listen to than television noise while doing chores or other tasks.

Marie wrote: "Jo wrote: "Joshua wrote: "The only issue is that the goodreads algorithm assumes that if you read a book you liked it. There has to be a way to only send out suggestions related to books you gave a..."
I've found the same thing. Even recommendations based on my 'favourites' shelf are way off base. I loved Claire Tomalin's biography of Jane Austen, which apparently means I will also want to read the latest Celeb memoir!!!

Last year was the first time in a while that I have not reached my Reading Challenge goal, but I'm moving forward and going for it again this year. I don't set a goal to high for me to realistically reach, but I am discovering that I read more books in a year than I realized. I have heard that reading can help slow mental deteriorations and onset of Alzheimer's

I have ADHD and can get bored quickly, but I am learning to use that to my advantage. I'll have an audio book for my drives to and from work, school, stores and home and then another for unwinding at the end of the day. I've also started reading books with my kids. I might not finish a book a week yet, but I am reading more and more.

Chris wrote: "put books down that aren't working for you. hard to learn but an important tip!"
Yes, I used to insist on finishing a book, however tedious. Now, if I'm not appreciating it by the time I've read the first third, I abandon it. I broke that rule recently, because so many reviewers said that persisting to the end was worth it for a particular novel. I did persist and it wasn't worth it. Lesson learned.

Donna wrote: "After years of barely reading anything, my goal this year is 52, a book a week. I discovered the other day that I can rest my ereader on the front of my treadmill, so both my reading and walking ha..."
I always take my kindle to the gym with me, the miles pass quickly when I am absorbed in a good story. And if it is a bad story…well there is nothing else to concentrate on while on the treadmill, so I might as well read the boring book!

I made a goal of 60 after reading 65 last year! I noticed I started out with a goal of 40 and did end up upping it twice, once to 50 and once to 60. I have watched less shows/scrolled socials less lately and read more at night and it was a much more relaxing year!

book wrote: "it’s ok to have personal goals but i think pressuring yourself to stick to these challenges takes the fun out of reading. it’s better to read 8 books in a year which you properly took time to diges..."

That is a great tip!

Thank you

Jenny Baker wrote: "For the past 8 years, I've read over 100 books a year, so it'll be my goal again this year. I typically read 2-3 books at a time, one in audiobook format, so that I can switch throughout the week d..."

I like this! I read 80 - 90 a year, and also prioritize my TBR shelf with a category I've called "Read This Next."

Sommer wrote: "In terms of library books, I would super recommend getting Libby. You can add multiple library cards and move them over to your Kindle, which is super great."

I just discovered Libby this year at the recommendation of a friend here on Goodreads. It's terrific, and I always have my Kindle on my phone with me, so it's super convenient and easy to manage.

What for?

Good for you! A friend of mine has done exactly this for years. She reads more than 70 books a year, almost exclusively on the treadmill. Exercise the body and the mind!

Donna wrote: "After years of barely reading anything, my goal this year is 52, a book a week. I discovered the other day that I can rest my ereader on the front of my treadmill, so both my reading and walking ha..."

When reading off my Android I use the NYPLs "Overdrive".

Is there a difference between Overdrive and Libby?

Nancy wrote: "Sommer wrote: "In terms of library books, I would super recommend getting Libby. You can add multiple library cards and move them over to your Kindle, which is super great."

I just discovered Libb..."

YES!!! I just downloaded it yesterday, and have already started a new audiobook, and have holds out for ebooks. Super easy platform, and very user friendly. Highly recommend.

I'm able to read a lot because of my monotonous desk job. I borrow audiobooks and other series from my neighborhood library. 📚

I wish Goodreads had a page number goal for the reading challenge. I read longer books. For example, War and Peace is 1100 pages; Good Omens is 350 pages; so, there are about three Good Omens in one War and Peace. Having only one book of any length count as one book, weirdly, feels like I'm being penalized for reading longer books because I have to lower my book goal every year to accommodate the length of the longer books. I wish we could have an option to set a page number goal for the year in lieu of a book count.

As for problems with algorithms, I suggest the old-fashioned way of getting book suggestions: ask a librarian. They are there to help with things like this and are often very happy to help. Also, they can recommend other ways to find books you will love.

I read when I can, I challenged myself on reading especially during the long cold winter months. I increase by book challenge last year, this year increased it to 25 books, right now reading a 1,000 pg of Sherlock Holmes stories on my Kindle, also read hard cover books. I just love reading when I can.

Cheryl wrote: "Read what you, when you want, as often as you want. Don’t let anyone make you feel bad about reading. Reading is what I do when I am not working and it has been and continues to be a very important..."

So sorry for your loss, Cheryl. I'm glad you have something to comfort you!

Some books are like ice cream - oh so good,) some like steak (something to sink my teeth into,) some like brussel sprouts (just walk away) and some like potato chips (don't really taste good but I keep on anyway.) Yes, it's all subjective but that's the point. Read for understanding, entertainment, escape, for knowledge or simply to pass the time. I do have several books on hand but usually read them one at a time. Ebooks are great because they're easy on my hands and eyes but I wander away from audio books.

Gene wrote: "When reading off my Android I use the NYPLs "Overdrive".

Is there a difference between Overdrive and Libby?"
Libby is actually run by Overdrive - both of the apps do the same thing, Libby is just a little easier to work with. Also, Overdrive will be going down by the end of April this year, so they are encouraging users to switch to Libby in order to avoid confusion.
Hope this helps!

When I answered a questionary back in the late '90ies, one of the questions was how many books I read in a year and the max was 20, which sounded affully low, so in 1999 I started writing up all the books I read and that year I read 161 books and 60 fanfics.

My goal for 2023 is 300 books & fanfics, so far in January I have read 5 library books, 10 of my own TBR books and 14 fanfics.

I also read 3-4 books at once, only one novel though, the rest is non-fiction. All the 4 books I am reading at the moment are non-fiction: a true crime, haunted hotels, a biography and a book about heroes in history.

ATINY wrote: "Gene wrote: "When reading off my Android I use the NYPLs "Overdrive".

Is there a difference between Overdrive and Libby?"
Libby is actually run by Overdrive - both of the apps do the same thing, L..."

Thank you for the reply and thanks for the heads up!

How can we put a book on hold in good reads?

I am power reader in public library .I borrrow more than 5000 books in a year but I choose to read only highly valued books such as Philippa Gregory and Jean Plaidy authors
I can’t find time to read at the last couple of years due high volume responsibilities and obligations in house
I visit to library five days in a week
I borrow books to fix as librarian as I had been before
Do you count titles the books I cleaned up
I have receipts from returns it’s a lot of work and takes too much time only on weekends I can do it
I find time to read aloud at sundays and overnight time till 5 am while everyone sleeps

Joshua wrote: "The only issue is that the goodreads algorithm assumes that if you read a book you liked it. There has to be a way to only send out suggestions related to books you gave at least four stars. Stop s..."
LOUDER FOR THE PEOPLE IN THE BACK. oh my god YES!

Can we get a goal of Pages Per Year? I'd like to be able to set a goal of a certain number of pages per day/year as a way of working it into my daily schedule.

I have always had more than a few books going on at a time. Somedays I jump between different ones, somedays I stick with just one book. It also depends if it's a library book, an Arc that needs to be read/reviewed before a certain date, or maybe my own printed book. As long as it's not the same genre. I'm trying to limit myself this year with how many going at once. An arc from publisher if I have any, one from Netgalley, a library book (trying to do some audio from hoopla or libby but not all the time but nice to stick one in every once I awhile) and a print owned one seems to be a good amount. I've been limiting myself with the amount of Arcs I'm doing also so I have time to read other stuff.